Ultimates: Savage Land
by Evy Sevin
Summary: This is the sequel arc to "Super Soldier". Here we'll meet several more heroes. The next Arc is here titled "Emergence".
1. Chapter 1

**Arc 2: Savage Land**

**Part 1: Discovery**

_Anthony Stark, known as Tony to his friends, is one of the richest men in the United States. Thanks to his involvement in the weapons research and other defense initiatives his stock has continued to rise. It is even rumored that he is somehow connected to New York's local hero, Iron Man. He has a reputation as quite the lady's man, and who can blame them. He has looks, money, and a charming smile. In short Anthony Stark has it all, fame, fortune, looks, and friends. We recently had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Stark to ask him some more personal questions . . ._

**Antarctica**

The winds here blew with ferocity unknown in gentler parts of the world. Snow blew into the trail of men like ice picks, penetrating through their heavy winter gear. Many of them were clothed in so many layers of clothing they looked like penguins on the ice. Mounds of snow and ice surrounded them like grave markers. Leading them was the tallest of the figures. He had a long sled tied to his waist and he used poles to help him tread firmly along the way.

The man paused his determined walk, letting the other's catch up with him. The other figures waddled up to him slowly and stopped gratefully. The lead figure removed his fur lined hood and lowered his lower mask. Ice coated his thin black goatee, but he had a large grin on his face.

"Isn't this exhilarating?" he asked his followers cheerfully.

"Why are we at the bottom of the world, Mr. Stark?" one of the figures asked, cradling himself in his arms.

The other figures refused to remove their hoods, but the flash of glasses and/or bald heads was reflected still.

"Because we can!" Mr. Stark opened his arms wide. "How many men can just fly out and hike the Antarctic for the weekend?"

"How many want to?" one of them mumbled to another.

"It is good for us to realize how fragile we are despite all our money and power," Tony told them soberly.

"I think I am done feeling fragile," one of them whined.

"We haven't even arrived at the campsite," Tony reset his mask and pulled his hood back over his rapidly reddening face.

Tony Stark began to march firmly on once more, and since he had the single phone the others couldn't help but march desolately on behind him. A great fog bank lay like a giant comforter before them, obscuring their already miserable view. Determined the billionaire led them onward. He just began to walk into the fog bank when he suddenly slipped and disappeared from view.

"Mr. Stark!" one of the followers called out in shock.

"The phone!"

They raced forward, though careful to avoid whatever pitfall had made their leader disappear. They reached the thick fogbank and stopped in their tracks. This time they did remove their hoods and masks.

"Unbelievable!"

"Impossible!"

"Oh my . . ."

**Triskelion**

One-eyed General Fury stood at the edge of the landing pad, looking up at the large helicopter that was slowly descending to land. His craggy and hard face looked pleased, which was a rare event. The helicopter came slowly down, the draft whipping his close-cropped hair about.

It touched down and two men quickly dove in and secured the government transport helicopter. As soon as the blades had slowed reasonably Nick Fury walked toward it himself. A sliding door opened in the side and out came two figured dressed in formal clothes. One was a somewhat nerdy man that Fury recognized immediately as Hank Pym. The other was a pampered looking oriental woman in a short skirt and a somewhat revealing blouse. It had to be Janet Van Dyne. She was constantly by Hank's side.

Fury proffered his hand and Hank quickly took, shaking it awkwardly. "General Fury, what an honor."

Nick quickly smiled and then turned to Janet, who took his hand coyly. He didn't fall for it. "We are truly excited about this chance to apply to work with you in the Ultimates initiative."

"Do you think you can have the presentation in a couple hours?" Fury cut right to the chase. "I have a rather full schedule."

Hank looked rather alarmed, but Janet smiled smoothly. "Of course, if you could show us to your testing center."

"Right this way then," Nick Fury turned crisply and headed into the large high-tech research facility and base of operations for the Ultimates. Hank quickly turned and took his briefcase right from the hands of a soldier. Janet was already on General Fury's heels. The scientist quickly dashed after them.

They entered a large steel door and proceeded to a glass elevator. General Fury entered a key and turned it, and then he pressed a green unmarked button. The elevator shot downward at an amazing speed, and Hank gaped like a schoolboy as level after flashed past them. Janet quietly stepped on his toes awaking him from his stupor. He coughed, embarrassed and tried to casually observe his surroundings, but after his junk lab in Pittsburgh this place was astounding.

Suddenly the elevator stopped and the doors opened smoothly. Without a word Nick Fury walked out and they hastened after him. What they saw made even Janet pause in amazement. The ceiling was at least seventy-five feet high. Heavily armed soldiers crawled about the place like ants as scientists in white lab coats dashed about, busy on some important mission. The walls were made of what Hank assumed to be bullet-proof glass letting in the amazing view of the Manhattan skyline. Among all the chaos walked Captain America, dressed in full red, white and blue uniform, just like he had before the two newcomers were ever born.

"Is that really?" Janet finally managed to ask.

"Captain America?" Nick Fury asked. "The original, yes."

"He died over sixty years ago," Hank shook his head disbelievingly.

"No, he nearly died, and that is something altogether different," General Nick Fury corrected.

"But how did he . . ." Hank began.

"Come this way," Fury interrupted. They followed him down the large level, away from Captain America. Janet stole one last glance at the perfect man. Hank frowned to himself. They continued on until they entered a place where the level was split in two. Entering an area below an enormous loft area that Hank was sure was beyond his current security level as nothing more than a potential candidate.

The corridor they entered was as cold and sterile as a hospital. Florescent lights lit their way with cool white light past various steel doors with small glass windows, or sometimes no window at all. Eventually General Fury opened up a door with an i.d. scan, pin code, and a thumbprint. Hank and Janet looked at each other. This place was serious about security. They were in the least secure area of the Triskelion.

They entered a middle sized lab with various instruments and high-level machines, things beyond what the two of them could afford. On one side of the laboratory was a large bay window that overlooked a sunken over-sized observation area. There were already a few scientists present.

"Dr. Banner," Nick Fury called. A mousy man with limp light brown hair and glasses turned to them. "These are our two candidates for today."

"_The_ Doctor Banner?" Hank gushed.

"Yes, I'm afraid so," Banner smiled shyly and shook Hank's hand just as awkwardly. Janet smiled at Banner, but deftly avoided a handshake. The scrawny little man took it all in stride.

"I'll be back to see your presentation in two hours," General Fury reminded before he turned and left.

**Iraq**

Black Widow, Hawkeye, and Black Knight nodded at each other from their various positions. They each had five highly-trained soldiers with them. They all knew at least some of them wouldn't be going home. They were hot on the trail of some terrorists who had kidnapped a high-ranking Iraqi official. They had finally discovered their hiding place in the honeycomb-like caves out here in the desert, mostly thanks to Hawkeye's specialized eye implants.

Black Knight and his soldiers would storm in first while Black Widow and her small cadre would cover them. Hawkeye would stay outside and guard the entrance. That was what he hated about being an archer. You were always in the back. He had always lived to be at the front of the battle, taking action when others would stand idly by, or worse run away.

He ran his hand over his close-cropped blonde hair and grimaced. His red eyes had always scared the soldiers he worked with, he had caught several of the Hispanic soldiers yesterday referring to him as _El Demonio_. He had laughed at them for even believing in such things. Clint was a staunch humanistic atheist. He believed only in the power of people and their emotions. How could God create something capable of hatred and then condemn it. Evolution was the true creator of mankind; he often scoffed at those that believed in intelligent design.

Black Knight loosed his broadsword in its sheath. He would need it any moment now. He held his Uzi in his left hand. The handgun had been specially tailored to his specific needs. His right hand was always kept free in case he needed to use his sword, his true weapon of choice.

He looked at his synchronized watch. Ten seconds until he would race into the cave entrance, Uzi held in front of him. He glanced at Black Widow, her red hair glinting in the too bright sunlight. She was absolutely gorgeous, but more deadly than the spider from which she took her codename. He would never have her. He refused to date women that could beat him up in a fair fight. There were few men that could do that and even fewer women.

His watch beeped in his earpiece and he spun into the cave, his five men close behind him. They descended a slope just as two terrorists came racing up at them. He yelled as he let loose with two quick bursts of his Uzi. With a crimson spray they were down before they could release a single bullet.

Black Knight, known only as Dane to his friends, heard some shouts in the language that he had grown to hate so much. He slowed to let Widow catch up, they quickly gathered the two groups together and scattered to get some cover before more of the terrorists arrived. Several of them came rushing forward dressed in their traditional robes and turban.

"Come out," one of them screamed in rough English. "Come out or we kill the politics."

Just as they had planned the six men in the back rose, holding their guns, aimed right at the three terrorists that had come out.

"Lower your weapons or they are dead," the terrorist ordered. The guards looked at each other and put their weapons to the ground. The terrorists advanced on them. While the killers weren't looking they passed the rest of the forces under Widow and Knight. The Americans slipped down away from them and down further into the cave as quietly as possible.

They spotted the rest of the terrorists with the prisoners that were tied up and surrounded by guards. Knight and Widow nodded at each other, and suddenly revealed

themselves guns firing even before they were standing. Terrorists fell like dominoes around the political prisoners. There was sudden rapid fire from behind and they both knew it was Hawkeye coming in with his men.

"Dane," came a voice suddenly in Black Knight's earpiece. "Get your butt back here now, we have a situation."

"I'm in the middle of a situation here myself, General" Knight growled as he drew his sword and began instead to cut the terrorists down.

"Get over with quickly," the voice barked.

"Got it," Knight grimaced as he used his robe to untie the politicians. "No fun this time."

Just as suddenly as the slaughter had begun it was over. The terrorists lay in a bloody mess on the cave floor and the remaining soldiers were escorting the politicians back to the cave mouth. Widow turned to Knight and brushed her ear as she pushed back her auburn hair. Knight frowned and nodded. The two raced ahead to talk to Clint, they were heading back to America.


	2. Chapter 2

**Arc 2: Savage land**

**Part 2: Gathering the Ultimates**

**S.H.E.I.L.D. File on Anthony Stark**

_Height: 6'2"_

_Weight: approx: 179_

_Hair: Black_

_Eyes: Blue, glasses needed for reading fine print_

_Race: Caucasian_

_Mr. Stark started out as nothing more than an average boy, son of a mechanic. He was involved in the first Gulf War where he was taken and kidnapped for ransom but showed up a few days later having somehow escaped his captors. Once home he took full advantage of the military's college program and got a degree in engineering. After several ground breaking patents, several in the weapons industry, he became quite wealthy. Eventually he entered into a contract with the government to supply them with the latest in high-tech weapons but after his contract was over he split from the government despite several hundred million dollar raises in the contract and refuses to develop any more weapons. Since that time he has continued to grow in wealth through more patents in technological advances and several wise investments, including in young Dr. Reed Richards, now a close friend._

**Triskelion**

Fury gnawed on his cigar in frustration. Why did these nerd types always seem to have a flare for the dramatic build-up? They probably thought it impressed him, but in all actuality all it did was annoy him. Hank was thirty seconds late for his presentation and the bay windows overlooking his lab were covered with white curtains. Nick Fury looked at his satellite watch again. Fort-five seconds late now. Suddenly the curtains were thrown back. An S.H.I.E.L.D. scientist was plastered against the window, his mouth open in shock and horror. Fury automatically tensed for action, his hand going to the gun that was always strapped to his side.

The curtains were ripped away completely. The lab was sound proof so Fury couldn't hear what was happening inside, but he imagined the sound of the curtains ripping. What he saw next surprised him. There were very few things that could still do that to him.

In the middle of the lab crouched Henry Pym, completely naked, but that wasn't what surprised Fury. It was the man's size. If the scientist was standing up he would have stood somewhere close to fifty feet tall. Somehow Doctor Pym had figured out how to increase his body mass exponentially.

Something else caught Fury's eye. For a second it seemed it was a wasp, but Henry seemed to be grinning at it and talking to it. Fury raced over to the control panel and pressed the speaker button.

"Pym," he shouted in there. "What's that in there with you?"

Fury pressed the listen button. "That's Janet!" Hank grinned even wider than before. "She can shrink."

"I see that," Nick Fury responded. Hank had quite a talent for pointing out the obvious. He was awkward and nerdy, not very good for the public, but obviously a genius. They couldn't afford not to hire the scientist. He supposed that meant they would have to hire Ms. Van Dyne as well.

"What do you think?" Pym asked in an excited voice.

"I think you're hired!" Fury smiled at him as warmly as he could manage. "Welcome to the Ultimates team!"

"Janet did you hear that!" Fury heard just as he cut the feed from the testing laboratory.

He smiled. His Ultimates Initiative was finally coming into full fruition. Though, he thought, to complete the team he may have to bring in some of his old friends. He doubted he would be able to drag Dugan out of retirement, but the current Howling Commandos deserved to get some spotlight. He would also have to find a suit for Pym to wear. Maybe he could convince that young scientist Reed Richards to do it for him. He was an expert on unstable molecules.

"We're almost ready for a press release," he mused to himself as he walked out of the laboratory section.

**Antarctica**

The chairmen of the board stared out at the scene that lay before them. There was a steep slope at least twenty-five feet tall and then what should have been a landscape of ice and snow, but it wasn't. Palm trees and tropical flowers lay in a thick carpet below. There was nothing cold about the land; it seemed they were in a tropical paradise. This was much more like what any one of them would have chosen for a vacation spot.

"Mister Stark!" one of them called out, finally remembering their boss. They glanced about looking for the young billionaire.

"Here I am!" a voice called out. They finally spotted him. Tony was far below in his thick Antarctic gear. It looked ridiculous amongst the tropical plants and flowing streams below. He had thrown back his hood and struggled up to his feet. His gear was dirty from his fall. He had rolled down the twenty-five foot slope and come to stop just beneath a palm tree.

All of them looked at each other to make sure that everyone was seeing the same impossible thing. Then, they began to grin from ear to ear. With a laugh they slid down the slope on their buttocks or stomachs.

"What are you all doing? I think you had better stay up there. I don't know how we'll get back!" Tony called out trying to talk some sense into them, but he was far too late for that.

"This is a real vacation spot!" one cried out in excitement once he reached the bottom.

"Not at all, I'm afraid," Mr. Stark admonished. "My compass doesn't work, and since no one seems to have noticed this paradise before I rather doubt anyone will be here to rescue us."

"What are you saying?" Mr. Gamin asked. At least one of them had sobered up at his comment.

"We could be stuck here for good, unless we can get back up that wall," Tony reiterated.

"That shouldn't be a problem for a great engineer like yourself," one of the board members dismissed the issue.

"Without any tools to use, I'm afraid you'll find my skills seriously lacking," Tony shook his head.

"You can do it, Tony," one of the men said in full confidence. "We have faith in you."

With that last comment they ran into the friendly looking jungle, quickly ripping off their outer clothes. They giggled like little boys leaving school.

Tony shook his head. Everyone knew that he was the one not to take situations seriously, not his members of the board. Though Tony may have had such a reputation, and much of it was true, when it came to truly bad situations he was the first to buckle down to tackle the problem head on. You just first had to convince him it really was serious.

Tony looked at the rock and dirt wall. It was too steep of a slope for any one of them to climb on their own, at least any one of his men. He glanced about to make sure there were no board members watching and then unbuttoned his shirt just over where his heart was.

A small metal device was implanted in his chest. It was an artificial heart that he himself had designed with the help of one of his best engineers, James Rhodes. He glanced at the wall again and looked at the device in his chest. With the board members acting like teenagers they would need a quick solution.

Tony sighed then twisted the device ever so slightly. The veins in his neck and on his head suddenly stuck out and became flushed. With a grimace Tony suddenly sprinted toward the wall, moving faster than any normal human. When he reached the wall of dirt and stone he plunged his hands into its surface as if they were made of nothing more than clay, though they came out bloody as he clambered his way up.

He grunted and cried out quietly as possible as he climbed up the wall. Finally as he gasped he reached the top and pulled himself into the cold and ice beyond the mist of the Antarctic. He lay for a second on the snow, panting. He fumbled at his chest with bloodied hands. Finally, he succeeded in turning the device back into the position it normally occupied.

He pulled out a phone from his pants pocket. "Rhodey, do you read me?"

"You're a bit fuzzy, but I can hear you," came the deep voice on the other end of the line.

"Do you have my position on the locater?" Tony asked as he gasped.

"Is everything alright there Tony?"

"Not really, but nothing I can't handle for now," Mr. Stark reassured his friend. "Now, do you have my position?" If Tony didn't hurry this call he would freeze to death or die from exposure.

"Yeah," James confirmed. "I have it on the locater, but it's not very strong. I thought you made these things extra strong?"

"I did," Tony told him. "Now, lock onto me and get out here as quick as you can."

"Already getting ready," James said.

"While you're at it, patch me straight through to Nick Fury if you could," Tony asked.

"Sure thing," James sounded like a man taking orders from his captain.

"Oh, and Rhodey," Tony's teeth were chattering by now. "Bring me my suit, my special suit."

"Are you sure?"

"Just do it, Rhodey," Tony confirmed just before his phone slipped from his cold grasp. He recovered it and clutched back to his ear.

"Fury here," came a voice on the other end.

"General," Tony managed. "You are not going to believe this!"

**Triskelion**

Fury smiled at the phone as he hung it up. He could barely believe his luck just as he gained a couple new members their first chance for publicity landed straight in his waiting lap. Tony Stark had handed him a bigger gold mine than even the billionaire had expected.

"General Fury," a young soldier approached him cautiously. No doubt he had heard on General Fury's infamous temper. "There are some operatives who came here to see you."

"Well," Fury growled. "Go get 'em."

The soldier snapped a salute and then hurried away towards the entrance. No doubt it was Barton, Natasha and Dane all returning from Iraq. They wouldn't be happy about getting saddled with a flashy group like the Ultimates, but if their ranks continued to swell as quickly as they were now they could be faded out of the team. For now he needed some real operatives on the team.

Captain America aside he had a few scientists with delusions of grandeur. He would have to get to replacing them with soldiers willing to take or do whatever it was that allowed the two scientists to change sizes like they had. Meanwhile, he would have to use the real thing. He hated to use scientists when he should be using soldiers. Scientists didn't follow orders well.

Clint Barton approached, followed closely by Natasha Romanov and Dane Whitman. In search of a new type of super soldier the government had poured large amounts of money into these three, all thanks to General Fury. Clint had had his eyes replaced with optical machines that worked better than binoculars and as well as a common microscope. He was an excellent athlete and had always been the best shot in his squad.

Natasha Romanov was a trained spy and athlete. They had given her plastic surgery to make her as beautiful and deadly as possible. She was on the short list for the super soldier serum once they had perfected it. She knew how to use her looks and her weapons.

Dane Whitman was a superb athlete and had mastered nearly every weapon available to man. The military had given him some sort of brain booster that allowed him a perfect physical memory. Once he had perfected a move then it was almost impossible for him to forget it.

Nick Fury himself was a force to be reckoned with. It wasn't just his temper and his reputation as honest to a fault that got him to the position he held now. He was much older than he looked, or felt for that matter. Long ago he and a close friend had found the secret to the infinity potion, a serum that, when taken, vastly extended your life. It also helped him to be in peak physical condition. He had trained with his three companions when they had gained their abilities.

Thanks to his years of experience in combat and his determination along with the infinity potion he was the closest thing to a super soldier that anyone had seen since World War Two.

"You called us?" Clint asked. Of course they knew he had called them or they wouldn't have flown all the way in from Iraq.

"I was calling you to ask a favor of you, but I think I have a new favor to ask," Fury explained.

"Huh?" Dane liked things explained out plainly for him, even when he understood them.

"As you all know," Fury began, motioning them to follow him as he walked. "Part of my involvement with S.H.I.E.L.D. is the super soldier program that I started with the three of you."

"Get to the point," Natasha had almost as little patience as Fury himself. "We were in the middle of a good fight."

"Well," Fury continued, ignoring Natasha's interruption. "Just a few months back you know that Banner went AWOL on us when he revived Captain America. When we recovered him and the Captain both of them were drafted into a brand new program, the Ultimates initiative."

"We knew all this," Natasha informed him loudly.

"You all know how hard it is to find even a few super humans that aren't mutants," Nick continued.

"We're black ops," Clint stated forcefully. "We don't do the whole spotlight and public meetings thing."

"I understand that," Nick sighed. He had known the discussion would go this way. "However, an opportunity has just come up that is too good for me to pass up. I need to establish the Ultimates now."

"You've been working on this project for a while now," Clint reiterated. "If you can't find people to fill in the positions now, what is our guarantee that you can find them later?"

"With Captain America revived we have made several advances on perfecting the super soldier serum," Nick Fury hated to explain himself, but if anyone deserved an explanation it was these three. "I also just got a hold of a new technology that lets an ordinary man change size."

The three looked at each other. They owed Fury for what he had done for them, but would this be worth it? They knew that if they entered in the Ultimate their Black Ops status would be permanently revoked. They would become too public for black ops and their careers as they were now would be over.

"I don't know about these two chickens," Natasha stated as she advanced on Nick. "But I will help you out, Nick."

"Don't think that this makes us even," Dane told Nick. "Now it is you who owes us."

"Glad to have you on the team," Nick only acknowledged that they had accepted he avoided admitting to be in their debt.

"If you try any of your bureaucratic bull crap on me, Nick, I swear I will jam one of my arrows down your throat," Clint finally relented after his two comrades had agreed. Clint was always the one to take the longest to decide, but once he committed himself there was no one that could get in his way.

"Where are we going and why?" Dane was the first to ask.

"You had all better suit up for the cold," Nick smiled devilishly. "We're headed to Antarctica."


	3. Chapter 3

**Arc 2: Savage Land**

**Part 3: paradise discovered**

_Note for Mr. Anthony Stark_

_Tony,_

_Your new girlfriend called again to see where you were. I told her I wasn't even sure where you were at. Why didn't you tell her that you were going to Antarctica? I am tired of covering for your lack of communication. Bad enough I have to do it in the business world, but I no longer want to be involved in your personal affairs Tony. When you get back you had better call that girl and come up with an amazing story or you'll lose her like the others. Who am I kidding? You probably want to lose her. I should just call her now and tell her that you called and said that you didn't want to see her anymore. Maybe that's exactly what I'll do._

_Regards, Pepper_

_P.S. Your private shipment of weapons and metals came in today. I sent Rhodes an e-mail so he could keep track of them. At least I know someone in this company besides myself that is responsible._

**Antarctica**

Nick looked though the side window of the carrier helicopter that was taking him to Tony Stark's location. Miles and miles of ice and snow passed below them like a great frozen ocean. If anyone else would have called him with the news that Tony had called about Fury wouldn't have believed him, but Nick knew Tony wanted to keep his military contracts badly.

Clint, Natasha, Dane, Captain America, Hank Pym, and Janet Van Dyne were all in the helicopter with him. They were all quite skeptical of course of Tony's call to the Antarctic, Nick couldn't blame them. They were joking, even now, of what would happen to Tony if he had been lying.

Fury glanced back at his little Ultimates group. Hank was sitting and staring at the poor world war two hero. Janet was sidling up next to the man, smiling her fake coy smile. Natasha and the others sat on the other side of the helicopter looking awkwardly at Captain America. Last time they had all been together with the captain they had been hunting him down.

Steve Rogers acted relaxed and spoke to them as if they were old friends. All of Steve's real old friends were either buried or in a retirement home. The poor man had been forced to get to know an entirely new world of technology where democracy truly did rule. The psychologists had warned Nick Fury that such a dramatic rapid change could easily unbalance a person.

Steve hadn't yet had enough time to come unbalanced, Nick had wisely kept him busy training his body and training Nick's handpicked soldiers. Steve had been more than cooperative.

Nick's thoughts returned to the present. Trailing behind them were two more helicopters. One was filled with a special military film crew. They would be in charge of filming the Ultimates in action. Nick Fury needed to paint the best picture he could of his billion-dollar budgeted Ultimates project.

If there was nothing that happened then they could at least explore. His film crew and PR personnel could paint the Ultimates as tree-hugging conservatives dedicated to peace. If they did come across any challenges then they could paint them as specialized soldiers dedicated to the security of America.

In the third helicopter was a small cadre of some of Fury's best soldiers. They were mostly there to keep the two scientists protected from any real threat. Fury hoped that neither of them would get hurt too seriously on their first mission. He hadn't had time for training them and any major injury to his super human group would be bad publicity.

"We're almost there," the pilot communicated into Fury's earpiece, pointing at a huge fogbank.

Fury nodded at him and clambered out of his seat to talk to his Ultimates before they landed. He was glad that he had ridden in the same helicopter as them. It gave him the chance to see how they interacted with each other. Now he knew how to use them as a team and not just individually.

Though Captain America was a natural born leader and a finely trained one as well the howling commandos weren't exactly comfortable with that yet and it showed. He didn't want to pair either of the scientists with him either because they would be falling over themselves trying to impress the living legend.

Out of the three howling commandos both Hawkeye and Black Widow were leaders but under different circumstances. Black Widow would lead best under a shadowy covert operation while Clint was invaluable in an open combat situation. Nick would have to lead them as a group for now.

He wasn't going to get away with leading them for long. He was too valuable to the government to be allowed much combat time. He had lost an eye to enemies of the country and that had been enough for his superiors to make him take a promotion. He had never wanted it.

He looked over his little ragtag group. They were the best America had to offer at the moment. He was glad he wasn't going to have to depend on just them for long. He would use the secrets of the super soldier serum and the secrets of Hank Pym to create real soldiers.

The best was yet to come. In his Ultron project he would soon have a soldier that didn't die, for it was never alive, a combat android with Artificial Intelligence that could adapt to any combat situation. He was worried sometimes that they would take the humanity in war, but realized there never was any humanity in war. War was just desperate people doing desperate things.

"Alright," he grumped at them, cutting through Janet's inane chatter and Steve's attempts at keeping a distance. "We're going down to the coldest place on Earth, but supposedly there is some sort of tropical jungle hidden in the fog and clouds ahead. Get suited up and follow my lead."

"Why are we here?" Captain America asked. Nick wanted to groan, of all people he expected Cap to follow orders. "What I mean to ask is, what exactly is our mission here?"

"We've just found a new land that didn't exist just a few years back," Nick explained. "Our mission is to scout it out and if we find anything of value to claim this land for America."

"Isn't Antarctica already split up into territories?" Hank asked.

"Yes, but claims here have been changed several times in the past," Nick sighed. They were Americans, did it really matter who owned what block of ice? "We just need to give something back."

"Whose territory are we going into?" Black Widow asked. Of all the people to ask that question it had to be her.

"We are entering territory where ours and Russia's meet," Fury told her, looking her in the eye. Natasha didn't bat an eye. She was a spy, if this bothered her than she wasn't going to show it.

"Any more questions before you suit up," Fury made it obvious in his tone that he didn't want any more.

"No, sir," Clint saluted and then unclipped himself from his seat, grabbing some sub-zero gear that was hung on a hook behind him.

"Good," Fury growled. "Cuz we're almost there."

"Sir!" the pilot's voice came back to Nick. There was a slight note of alarm. "You might want to come look at this!"

"What is it?" Nick stormed to the front of the helicopter.

"We're not alone here," the pilot pointed at a small dark spot on the snow, it was obviously another helicopter.

Tony looked up as the sound of helicopter blades pushing through the air reached his ears. Fury had responded much quicker than Tony had anticipated, his plans would have to be tweaked ever so slightly. He nodded at Rhodes and turned to greet the helicopters with one of his trademark smiles.

His own helicopter was landed next to him. Antarctica wasn't exactly a good place for a helicopter but there really was no other way to travel as far as Tony was concerned and Fury, it seems, had the same idea. His members of the board were still in the strange tropical land beyond the thick fogbank, still unaware of recent events. They'd find out soon enough.

Rhodes had arrived with his suit and his clothes as specified. Tony was once again wearing Antarctic suitable clothing. His heart had calmed and all he suffered from was some ice in his mustache and some scraped hands.

The military helicopters landed, blowing ice crystals and snow into Tony's face. He put down his goggles to protect his eyes. Nick Fury was going to demand to know why he was here and what exactly had led to his discovery of his strange fantastical land in the middle of the Antarctic.

As the chopper blades slowed the door of the front helicopter slid open. A tall broad figure hopped out and made its way toward him. That would be Nick Fury, cutting right to the point. Six figures followed him out. Tony wondered who they were. There were only five of Nick's Howling Commandos left and last he had heard at least three of them were in Iraq. Of course, Tony wasn't supposed to know these things, so he wouldn't be asking Fury about it.

"Tony," Fury removed his own goggles, revealing his cold brown eyes. "What is this about a paradise?"

"Just follow me," Tony told the general. "I think it best if I just show you everything."

"Jim Rhodes here?" Fury asked. It was a funny question and caught Tony off guard.

"Yes," Tony nodded as he headed toward the fogbank. "And someone else, that I think you are dying to meet."

"Iron Man?" Fury knew right away who Tony was referring to. "He's out here with you?"

"I called him right after I phoned you," Tony explained. "He came out here personally."

"Where is he?" Fury asked, casting his gaze about.

"Already doing reconnaissance on the area," Tony pointed again at the beckoning fogbank.

"Great," Fury growled grumpily. "That's the last thing I need right now, a civilian getting involved."

"How do you know he's a civilian," Tony grinned mysteriously.

"He doesn't take orders like a soldier," Nick reasoned.

"Neither do you," Tony grinned. Thanks to the fact that he was such a valuable asset to the military he could say things that most people couldn't.

"Don't push it Stark," Nick Fury jabbed a finger at Tony's chest. "Casualties happen on missions like this."

"Which is why I don't plan on participating," Tony returned.

"Good," Fury put his cigar back in his mouth and clamped it firmly in his teeth. "Just show me this paradise you were talking about."

"This way," Stark walked toward the giant fogbank. "Careful, there's a steep bank just on the other side. I fell down it, that's how I discovered the paradise in the first place."

"Ultimates assemble," ordered Fury. Tony glanced back to look at who Fury was ordering around and he gasped. Captain America stood in full uniform with his shield strapped on his arm, a living legend walking just a few feet from him. Behind Cap were more people, including three of the Howling Commandos.

"Captain America!" Tony exclaimed once he had found his voice. "It can't be. What have you done, Fury?"

"I haven't raised him from the dead if that's what you're asking," Fury rolled his eyes. "One of S.H.E.I.L.D.'s scientists found a cure for his condition and revived him. Isn't that right, Captain?"

"It is," Captain America smiled.

"After all of these years," Tony said wistfully.

"I can't think of a better time than now," Fury proclaimed continuing his march to the fog.

"This had better not be a gimmick," Tony mumbled.

"Or what, Stark?" Nick turned and glared with his only eye.

"I assure you," Captain America laid his hand on Tony's shoulder. "I am the genuine article."

Tony looked into Captain America's eyes and there was something in there that made him want to believe. Tony slowly nodded he did believe, the timing was just so improbable.

Behind Fury's Ultimates came an unusual sight. A cadre of soldiers bearing not weapons but camera equipment more suited to a gag of Hollywood filmmakers. Behind them came another group of soldiers, these looking quite a bit more serious with automatic guns in hands and many more weapons strapped onto their bodies. Tony wondered what the camera crew was for.

"Filming the next blockbuster, General?"

"Just show us the paradise and then get out of here," Fury growled.

"With all due respect General, as I am sure you can understand, I am not leaving my men behind," Tony said pointedly.

"Well then," Nick Fury sighed. "We'll just have to get them out of here as fast as we can."

They advanced into the fog, Tony was careful not to fall down the slope this time. He almost hoped that Fury would slip. Unfortunately he didn't as they arrived at the other end of the fog he stopped.

"I'll be . . ." Fury muttered. "You didn't fall too hard on your head after all, Stark."

"Hmph," Tony agreed.

"Colonel, get some climbing gear down here, quick, I don't see Stark's hiking buddies," Fury shouted back at one of the soldiers.

It took them less than two minutes to get everything set up and the soldiers were quickly down the slope followed by Tony, Fury, and the Ultimates. The soldiers made a circle around Tony and the Ultimates camera crew while Fury and the Ultimates advanced toward the jungle.

"Which way did they go, Stark?"

"They all raced off into the jungle like a bunch of little boys," Tony Stark explained.

"I don't see your little friend, Iron Man, either," Fury commented. He had a hand over his eyes as he gazed up at the hazy sky.

"I'm sure he'll show up," Stark reassured. "Now, if you will excuse me I need to make a phone call to Pepper, she reminded me of some business I must take care of right away. I'll wait for you up there."

"Fine," Fury agreed, motioning for his soldiers to let the billionaire go. "I needed you out of my hair anyway."

"Right," Tony bowed mockingly and raced back to the wall, climbing much faster than Fury expected.

"Alright," Fury ordered. "I want my tracker up here now. We need to find the business men before something else does."

A thick red-headed young soldier trotted forward and saluted to Nick. Fury released him with a stiff nod and the young man quickly began scanning the ground and nearby plants. It wasn't long before he found their tracks. They weren't too hard to see either. It wasn't often he was ordered to follow a bunch of overweight middle-aged men through the jungle that they ran through like it was a Hawaiian resort.

"This way," he trotted forward rapidly, trusting the rest of the soldiers to follow him. "They ran through here, look, they even stripped a bunch of their clothes off. See that sweater there and that jacket underneath that bush."

"Help!" a sudden loud scream erupted from the surrounding jungle. More screams followed, all of them nonsensical.

With a quick nod from Fury all of them raced forward, Captain America easily gaining the lead over everyone else. A roaring sound came from overhead and Fury looked up to see a familiar red and gold armored form. Iron Man had arrived and Fury wasn't too annoyed at his appearance.

Suddenly they all came to an abrupt halt. An elderly man in his boxers and undershirt stood in a clearing, crying his eyes out. A few more were crouching down around him, still screeching.

"What happened?" Captain America was quick to ask. "Why are you screaming like that?"

"Aaagh, blekaurs!" one of the business men managed before succumbing to his sobs.

"He's not making any sense," Cap called back to the rest as they caught up with him at the older man's side.

Iron Man landed directly next to the man and put a hand on his shoulder comfortingly, but the man only wailed harder. A strange screech came from above their heads and everyone glanced upward.

"Impossible," Hawkeye exclaimed.

"Am I seeing what I think I am seeing?" Fury asked Clint.

"I hardly believe it myself, but it looks like a pterodactyl to me," Clint shaded his super eyes out of old habit.

An ear splitting roar erupted in their ears. Everyone glanced about for the origin of the noise, but nothing could be seen in the dense foliage of the jungle except a few more pterodactyls flying away.

"You men surround the business men, Hank you'd better grow. I think we might have a bigger problem than even I had anticipated," Fury admitted. The Ultimates made a tight circle around the soldiers who guarded the business men and the camera crew once more.

They listened intently for any sign of danger, sweating bullets in the tropical heat. Suddenly the jungle around them exploded into life.


	4. Chapter 4

**Arc 2: Savage Land**

**Part 4: Paradise Lost**

_To: _

_From: __james__

_Tony,_

_The shareholders wanted to know what you were doing with all of that excess cash since you haven't bought a new house nor have you been on vacation in a while. I told them that it was none of their business but they kept insisting so I "joked" that you were probably putting it all into your newest girlfriend. Sorry about that, but I was getting desperate._

_I don't know when you plan on making "the big reveal" but I must say that there is no time like the present. I'm not rushing you, but maybe you could at least make up an excuse for me instead of me making stuff up and then having to send you these irksome e-mails. Of course you are "the big man" so whatever you say goes. Maybe it would be a good idea to go on vacation soon, just to throw them off the scent._

_Just let me know when you need my help again._

_-Jim_

**Antarctica**

Cap responded like a good soldier, without thinking. A large Utah Raptor came hissing out of the thick foliage. It was followed by several more of its fellows. He ripped the shield from his arm and flung it like a Frisby. It went flying into the closest raptor and collided with its snout.

The carnivorous reptile took a misstep then fell to the jungle ground, flailing wildly. The shield flew to the right and hit a tree, bouncing off and then returned to Captain America's waiting hands. There were rapid bursts of bullets spraying into the vicious dinosaurs. Some of them fell in a pool of red blood, but others came after them, attacking still.

This was impossible; there hadn't been dinosaurs on the earth for millions of years. Had things changed so much while he had been in stasis? The raptors were suddenly on them and with flashing fangs and tearing talons. Cap bashed one with his shield, but it barely seemed to phase the creature. He kicked out with a boot against a leg it was slashing at him.

Blood spattered his face and he looked to his right in horror. A raptor had used an extremely large claw on its foot to gut a soldier next to him. He heard other tearing sounds and screams of horror. Cap hit a new button on his shield. Nick Fury had it installed not long ago.

Blades came out from the edge of the shield. With a quick motion he slashed the edge of his shield against the neck of the raptor attacking him. Its blood spilled down onto him, but it still struggled for a moment. With a shove of his perfect muscles the raptor fell to the ground in convulsions.

He had to be careful as bursts of bullets still sprayed about him, much more erratic now. No one had trained these soldiers to go up against dinosaurs. A flash of light caught Steve's eye and he looked up. Iron man was floating above the carnage and emitting bursts of energy from his hands, felling one raptor after another. An arrow whizzed past Cap's head as Hawkeye took another one down as the arrow exploded after entering the dinosaur's flesh.

Steve cut off another dinosaur's forearm with his bladed shield. Then suddenly the gunfire ceased and his ears roared with silence. He glanced around. All of the raptors were either dead or gone. In just a few moments they had killed half of the soldiers and wounded several more.

Then Cap saw an amazing sight. Directly behind him was the scientist, Pym. He was looming over them at over fifty feet. There was blood on his feet and legs but Cap was unsure of where it came from.

"So much for paradise," Iron man said in a metallic echoing tone as he floated down toward them. "What do you want do, Fury?"

"Alright," Fury barked. "You soldiers get these business men out of here. Ultimates, you're with me."

"What about me?" Iron Man asked.

"You're a civilian, I can't use you, go back to Stark," Fury pointed in the direction of where they had come from.

"Like you said," Iron Man intoned, using thrusters to lift himself in the air. "I am a civilian. I'll do as I please and I think I am going to stay here."

"Suit yourself," Fury knew it was futile trying to argue against someone who he obviously couldn't control. "I won't take responsibility for your death."

"I wouldn't ask you to," Iron Man told him.

"Let's move!" Fury growled. The soldiers quickly rounded up the business men and herded them toward the edge of this savage paradise. There were a few men keeping the business men in line and the rest walked around them in a circle constantly on the watch for any movement.

Right in front of Cap's eyes Janet Van Dyne grew from half an inch to her regular height. "Why are we going further in?"

"My soldiers don't question my orders," Nick Fury told the woman and kept moving.

"I'm not a soldier," Janet refuted. "I am a scientist and I demand answers. If I am going to risk my life for something I want to know what it is I am risking it for, General Fury."

"You are a soldier, as stated in your contract," Fury told her. "Tilby, make sure and edit that whole exchange out."

"Aye, sir," said a beautiful but tough looking woman soldier that seemed to be directly in charge of the camera crew.

"Come on, Janet," Hank Pym cajoled. "A tropical oasis populated by dinosaurs suddenly appears in the middle of the Antarctic and you're telling me your scientific curiosity isn't just screaming for answers?"

"Oh, shut up Hank, you have no sense," Janet dismissed her boyfriend. "At least Captain America here seems to be paying attention to his surroundings."

"Shrink down big boy," Nick Fury ordered, almost gently. "We don't to draw any more attention to ourselves than we already have."

"Alright," Hank said and began to shrink. "err, I mean, yes sir." Janet snorted with derision at him and stalked after the ex-Howling Commandos who were leading them onward.

"If you do give us an idea of your objective, sir, then it would make it easier for us to find what we are looking for," Captain America whispered quietly to General Nick Fury.

"We're going to find out why a land such as this one exists where it shouldn't," Fury growled.

"Yes, sir."

Captain America trotted forward to catch up with the Howling Commandos, they reminded him of a platoon he had once led into combat, silent and deadly like jungle cats. It was so strange to see a Russian woman working side by side with American soldiers, but none of them seemed perturbed by it. The world he had woken up to was vastly different from the one he had inhabited in what seemed like only a few short weeks ago. At least they had won the war.

A high shriek echoed down from above. Cap shaded his eyes and looked up. A large flying reptile soared above them, slowly circling. This seemed like a land of fantasy like he had read about in the pulp magazines that Bucky had always read when receiving a package from home.

"Is that a pterodactyl?" Dane Whitman asked his friend Clint.

"No," Clint was looking with his unnatural red eyes. "Something isn't right about it."

"You're damn right there is something wrong with that thing," Dane growled. "It's alive!"

"Iron Man, can you get closer to that thing?" Fury asked. He gritted his teeth when he asked. He hated relying on the civilian.

"Sure thing," Iron Man said in his strange distorted voice. With a blast the metal-suited man went shooting upward. They all stared upward except Nick and the Howling Commandos who were on constant vigil for another attack.

It didn't take Iron Man long to reach the same altitude as the strange flying reptile. When he did he stared in surprise. Clint had been right; there was something unnatural about the creature. It had arms, and it wasn't some small tyrannosaurus type arms, they looked like a man's, but green and clawed. It glanced back at him with intelligent eyes and squawked. It quickly spun in the air and came diving right toward him. Iron Man was shocked and didn't act as quickly as he should. He dove aside but was clipped by one of the thing's arms.

His HUD indicated there was damage. He glanced in surprise at his shoulder, it had actually been able to scratch his armor, and deeply at that. He had been shot by bullets and it hadn't done nearly as much damage. The pterodactyl man was already wheeling back for another go.

Iron Man dove, heading straight for the military group below. Another alarm on his HUD sounded. "S.U.N.S.E.T., what's happening?" he asked his HUD.

"You are at fifty percent power capacity," a pleasant female voice warned him.

"What?" Iron Man asked in surprise. "How is that possible? It was on full power when I got in it?"

"Unknown."

"What does that mean?"

"An unknown outside source is draining power," S.U.N.S.E.T. explained as he braked for landing.

"Well, stop it then," Iron Man demanded.

"Unable to comply."

"Damn it! What is going on?"

"Iron Man, what was that thing?" Nick demanded.

"I don't know but it thinks, and it's dangerous," Iron Man answered, too distracted by his unexplained power draining to bother snapping back at the demanding General Fury.

"That's good to know, since here it comes!" Clint warned, pointing up at a green shape in the sky that was growing rapidly.

"Don't just stand there and gawk," Fury shouted. "Bring that thing down!"

Iron Man watched in alarm as his power meter continued to drop. His armor's power source should hold out for at least twelve hours of heavy to medium usage. If his armor was completely drained of power then it would be impossible for his to even walk in it.

Meanwhile the soldiers poured bullets into the sky, but the pterodactyl creature showed intelligence and dodged around, avoiding the bullets as it made headway toward them. They cursed as it came closer. Clint was more selective with his arrows as he fired them off, even causing the thing to reverse for a few seconds, but it still made progress toward the cadre of soldiers and the Ultimates.

Iron Man seemed oblivious to everyone's plight until the thing came diving right at him. A growing Hank Pym tackled him, causing the thing to miss, but scoring several deep gouges in Hank's side. The scientist cried out and fell heavily to the ground. Janet came running to his side.

"You idiot!" she screeched in alarm. "What were you thinking? He's got metal armor, what have you got?"

"It's coming back around," Natasha pointed out, letting loose with a few rounds herself.

Again it came for Iron Man, seemingly fixated on the high-tech hero. This time Captain America leaped in the way with his shield in between them. It clawed at the shield, but it was made of vibranium and all it succeeded in doing was scratching the paint.

"It seems to have a thing for Stark's friend here," Dane observed, diving forward with his sword raised. It screeched and flung out with a leathery wing, knocking Dane onto his back, sending his sword skittering away. Clint let loose with another well placed arrow and scored into one of the thing's arms. The arrowhead exploded, stripping away flesh and sinew.

It screeched again and glared malevolently at Clint. "If I didn't know any better I'd say that thing was as smart as us."

Finally it succeeded in tossing Captain America aside and aimed for Iron Man yet again. Another arrow from Clint and some bullets from Natasha caused it to stop and flap straight upward.

"Do you know why that thing would be so interested in you?" Dane asked as he recovered his sword, trying to prepare himself for another attack.

"I hate to even think this, but I think it wants to drain the energy from my suit," Iron Man answered.

"How is that even possible?"

"I'm not sure, but it is emitting some kind of radiation that seems to be absorbing the power in my batteries," Iron Man answered.

"We can't just hand over that kind of power to something like that," Fury growled. "Can't you do something?"

"I'm working on it," Iron Man answered. "Just keep it away so I can finish what I am doing."

"You better know what you are doing," Fury warned.

"Ultimates!" Fury shouted. "Attack!"

The heroes ran to Iron Man and surrounded him, facing outward, but looking up to the sky. The thing circled erratically above them as the soldiers peppered the air with high-caliber bullets. It screeched angrily at them and dove downward.

"Clint!" Cap called out. "Follow my lead. Natasha, spray that thing with as many bullets as you can!"

Steve Rogers, the hero known as Captain America, let loose with his bladed shield. The thing was able to dodge it, but Clint's arrow was right behind it, and sliced at the creature's back before exploding behind it. It was knocked from its dive but came plummeting out of control towards them.

"We've got it!" No sooner did Dane shout out triumphantly then it regained control and it was already on top of them. Natasha let loose with a volley of ammunition enough to kill and elephant, but the bullets bounced off of its hide. They still seemed painful as it cried out.

"It's getting more powerful!" one of the soldiers cried out in fear.

"Iron Man!" Fury shouted. "We need results and we need them right now!"

"I think I have it!" Iron Man cried out triumphantly just as the thing grabbed him with its legs and carried him aloft.

"Get him back!"

Steve leapt into the air, reaching out for Iron Man, but only brushed him with his gloved fingertips. He fell gracefully back to the earth in defeat.

"On it!" a voice cried out and Janet jumped into the air as she shrank, wings sprouting from her back.

Up in the air Iron Man struggled to not shake himself free until the right moment as his power levels were already becoming dangerously low. He moved his arms and finally touched a button on his forearm. Suddenly the drain stopped. If he believed in a god he would have prayed to it then that his experiment would continue to work as planned, but he didn't.

Then, almost agonizingly slow it power levels began to rise again. "Success!" S.U.N.S.E.T. told him unnecessarily.

The monster screeched suddenly, as if it were aware of the change of flow in power transference. It looked down at him, its eyes seemed to seethe with hatred and it tossed him away. He fell through the air, desperately telling his HUD to re-employ his flight systems.

Then with a nice BOOM his boots burst back into action and he was under control again. Now, he had to return the favor the pterodactyl had been doing to him. He streamlined himself and flew up and forward. It may have been sucking his energy but he was faster than anything with organic wings.

The pterodactyl monster looked back and saw him coming. For a moment it stayed its course and then suddenly dove down and right, but Iron Man was ready and followed at an even tighter arc. It used its great leathery wings to rise and he quickly doubled back on it.

It screamed its frustration at him as he drew closer. If looks could kill Iron Man's false heart would have stopped. Then, he was on it. He grabbed the thing, crumpling its wings with his armored arms and straddling its muscular back with his legs. It screamed again, this time probably in pain. Tony Stark grinned underneath his helmet and struggled to keep hold as they plummeted to the earth.

The pain and struggle were too much for the thing and it began to weaken. Iron Man used this moment to his advantage and regained control of their fall, heading toward the Ultimates as he compensated for the unwilling passenger. He braked hard, knowing he had to focus more on his prisoner than making a graceful landed, which he hated as he always liked to do things in style.

He landed stumbling, but was glad to finally let go of the beast as Captain America and Fury struggled with it. The two accidentally knocked its head against a rock just as Tony's battery reached full. It all seemed to overwhelm the pterodactyl beast and it passed out.

To everyone's shock and horror it began to shrivel immediately, almost violently. The wings curled and wrinkled shoving themselves back into the thing's body. Its green skin began to gray and then turn pinkish. It was transforming into a completely naked human man with long ratty brown hair.

"What is going on?" Janet asked as she grew back into her own size just in time to see the disgusting transformation. "Ewww, what is it?"

"I think it is a mutant," Fury told her.

"A mutant?" Captain America asked.

"Something else that has changed since you went to sleep, my friend," Fury explained.

As soon as the transformation was complete the earth shook, knocking most of them to the ground, only Cap and Iron Man stood their ground. They looked around in horror. What kind of monstrous dinosaur could cause that?

"A volcano!" Clint shouted as he got to his feet, pointing toward a smoking peak not far away.

"Let's get out of here," Hank groaned as he stood up, his hand still on the wound at his side.

"For once, the scientist is making sense," Fury agreed. "Nothing more to be done here, and we've taken enough beating as we can."

They turned and fled back toward the helicopters that had brought them there. Iron Man jetted toward the edge of the savage land that he had discovered. Dane watched him go in envy.

"Bring that naked mutant!" Nick Fury ordered the men who were lagging behind. The two soldiers nodded and picked up the ratty naked man and ran. Captain America glanced back and saw them stumble as they followed, falling further and further behind. He shook his head and turned back to them.

"I'll take that, boys," Cap said, slinging the man over his shoulder and racing off with him. The two soldiers didn't argue and they ran on. Amazingly Cap still moved faster than them.

The rest of the soldiers were waiting for them nervously as they watched another and another volcano erupt in the distance. They were pulled up to the relative safety of the Antarctic by their comrades in arms. Tony was there to greet them as well in his business suit that Rhodes had brought him.

"Where's Iron Man?" Fury asked.

"I'm afraid he wanted to get home as soon as possible," Tony told him with his winning smile.

"Fine," was all Fury said before ordering the men into their respective helicopters and jumping into one right after the Ultimates. It was a sad thing to see that they left with about half the soldiers they had come with.

Tony watched as the choppers flew away. His board members had already been taken away by a medicopter that Rhodes had provided for them. He wondered if he would ever get the opportunity to work with the Ultimates again. After a moment of feeling the bitter cold wind whip about him he boarded his own copter.

"Did you happen to bring any—"Tony began.

"Scotch?" Rhodes interrupted him. "Unfortunately yes, I did. I knew you'd give me hell if I didn't."

"That's good," Tony smiled. He took the glass after buckling in. The helicopter rose as mist and lava spewed below them.


End file.
